Anatomical Understanding of Vitapa Marma by Means of Cadaveric Dissection

Background of study: Marma are those spots on the body which are painful on application of pressure and shows abnormal pulsation. Marma are conglomeration of Mamsa, Sira, Snayu, Asthi and Sandhi. [1] There are 107 Marma.[2] Individual Marma are catagorized on different groups on the basis of various aspects such as Rachananusara, Parinamanusara, Sthananusara, Pramananusara etc. Vitapa Marma is the Adhoshakagata, Vaikalyakara Marma[3,4] of 1 Anguli Pramana.[5,6] The explanation of the Vitapa Marma in the classical texts cannot specify the particular anatomical entity so the study is undertaken to fulfill the deficit knowledge. Objectives: To evaluate the Snayu & Sira component of Vitapa Marma. To evaluate structural entity of Vitapa Marma in relation to given Pramana and Viddha Lakshana. Materials and methods: Cadaveric Study. Observation of the structures exposed during cadaveric dissection and correlation with textual description were done and the conclusion was drawn. Results: Vitapa Marma lies on the inguinal region at the superficial inguinal ring. The anatomical components of this Marma are the structures related to and passing through superficial inguinal ring.